CNN's Truth Squad fact-checked some of the claims made at Saturday night's Republican presidential debate in Manchester, New Hampshire. We'll take a look at some of the questions posed to the candidates, then share with you how they answered the question.
Paul: Santorum voted to raise debt limit
Rep. Ron Paul challenged Sen. Rick Santorum's voting record on raising the federal government's debt limit.
The statement: "He's a big government, big spending individual because, you know, he preached to the fact he wanted a balanced budget amendment, but voted to raise the debt five times." - Ron Paul.
The verdict: True
Did President Obama call Iran elections legitimate?
Sen. Rick Santorum said that President Barack Obama "tacitly supported" the results of the disputed Iranian elections.
The statement: "He tacitly supported the results of the election. (President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad announced right after the election polls were closed, he won with 60-some percent of the vote and the president said that sounds like a legitimate election."- Rick Santorum.
The verdict: False
Was Gingrich eligible for the draft?
Rep. Ron Paul challenged Newt Gingrich on whether or not he asked for a deferment during the Vietnam War. "I think people who don't serve when they could and they get three or four or even five deferments aren't - they have no right to send our kids off to war and not be even against the wars we have," Ron Paul said.
The statement: "The fact is, I never asked for deferment. I was married with a child. It was never a question." – Newt Gingrich
The verdict: True, but incomplete
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
All news is biased. CNN, FOX, MSNBC, etc.
But it's a good thing the SoundOff comments are completely objective.
Peick – At least they aren't a cynical, scripted attempt to mold political opinions of readers into voting Republican. These aren't debates the Republicans are having. It is yet another hyped up infommercial
When I've posted enough fact-less anti-obama comments, I win a cruise from the Koch Bro's.
Sorry, Tony, but 'RD44', Craig, 'Zonadoc(aka zoned doc)', '_____ (aka coke line)', 'Randy', 'FreeThinker (aka FoxwashedThinker)', 'Barry Osama', and 'John Ralph' are all way ahead of you.....but I guess the Kochs are rich and they can send you all....one way, of course!
The lies, fear and hatred that these people spread IS the #1 problem, not only in America, but in the world. I keep forgetting that in 09, when Obama took over, we had 0 unemployment and we had a budget surplus because we weren't spending billions a week on 2 wars. Thank God we had Dubya & Cheney to shoot down the Patriot Act because it shred the Bill of Rights to pieces.
0 Unemployment? 0 Debt? Right, you mean this all started during Bush's term.
Unless you make over 250K as an individual, the Republican party is merely playing to your fears and misgivings about government. The only positive remark I can make about the GOP is that they can convince people to vote against their own interests.
While Obama has made mistakes during his term, he has been by-and-large a successful leader being as he has had zero support from the Legislature. The lone fact that he will support items that had been GOP ideas at the detriment of political pull of his own party shows he is much more moderate than close minded citizens are willing to acknowledge. Additionally, it is funny to watch the GOP turn around and argue against their own ideals once Obama supports them himself. Due to this party-wide waffling it is a wonder Romney is not the posterboy for the party already, he exemplifies the very hypocrasy the party demonstrates on a daily basis.
Imagine that, Santorum lied. This is no longer news, it is status quo. His performance in Iowa is case 1 why it should be marginalized.
Iowa – Idiots Out Walking Around. . . they sure lived up to the anagram. . . seriously, 30,007 IN 1 STATE think like Santorum ??? this country is in deeper trouble than a lot of people realize
Yes, Rick Perry lied because it must be in the Bible that lying is alright. The Bible is about as useless as a one-legged man in an a**-kicking contest when it comes to directing morality. People will do whatever they want, driven by only their internal moral compass regardless of what a book seems to say.
@ hippiekenny..... lol.... that's really good! Did you notice Bachmann got 5%? That's the number of Iowan's she is smarter than!!
"Iowa – Idiots Out Walking Around. . . they sure lived up to the anagram. . . seriously, 30,007 IN 1 STATE think like Santorum ??? this country is in deeper trouble than a lot of people realize"
out of a population of 3 million, but hey, go ahead and make sweeping comments.
How come the CNN truth squad doesn't hang out at the White House? Lot's of bold-faced lies there every day.
Can you give examples? Since you are obviously not a Democrat, I'd also ask you to give examples of "radically left" type of things that Obama has done. I'm just curious because my research shows him to be quite moderate, and barely liberal (aside from his campaign promises, of course). Lastly, unless you do make over $250,000 a year, I'm curious why you would vote Republican, as we all like to say, "against your own interests?" Really, none of the ideas I've heard will help most of us.
When did Two wrongs ever make a right ...?
@Jon. Moronic drivel
In this 1989 article, Gingrich regrets getting deferments. In today's debate, he claims to have not gotten deferments. If Ron Paul was wrong about deferments (and he wasn't), it is only because Newt lied in the past about it.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/boyernewt1.html
Is this an issue with you? If so did you hold your messiah to that standard for not having served in the military? PinocchiObama? And how about Clinton? Newsflash this is pretty much a non issue and Ronnie is about as nuts as they get not even in real contention..............no matter how many libs vote vor him in the primaries.......illegally or not.
I wonder what Mr. Santorum's "faith" says about spreading bald-faced lies like the one called out in the article (re: the Iranian elections).
Highminded !!
Getting out of going to war is the only smart thing Newt ever did.
The draft was illegal. Viet Nam was illegal.
Newt is a bully. You would think that he would have enjoyed going to war.
Naaaah..... most bullies are cowards. He wouldn't go, but he would gladly send you!!!
Gotta a admit I was drawn to the concept of a CNN Truth Squad, but as I read these postings once a week or so, it sure looks to me like this is all just a discourse between 5 or 6 of the same folks in between Star Trek conventions.
lmao.....who's truth?....um ya i thought so.
IF CNN was truly unbiased they would not have had Stepocrapolis as a moderator, may as well of had Bill Clinton......and if the truth squad was really about truth you would have about five pages every time the President spoke he is the greatest spender liar non tranparent partisn Chicago thug politician in history.........
Yeah....that's what Faux views says, anyway. Been Foxwashed much?
How 'bout you, Mr. Sensible? Been brainwashed by PMSNBC and CNN?
Sure sounds like it.
@ Coke line.....only to a moron!
You want the truth?
YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!
Especially if you take all your news from CNN.
Hey coke line.... prove that the truth squad is wrong!!!!
Look it up yourself, moron!!!
Now there's an oxymoron..."CNN" and "Truth"
.....and there's a moron...."Bill" and ..."whatever"!
well if you disagree with their analysis Bill you are free to point out where you think they are wrong.
Hahahahahahahahaha You are right.
CNN knows nothing about truth, only bias fo "their" side.
Journalism ceased to exist about fifty years ago.
No there are "Republicans" and then there is the "Truth" and they have NEVER once coexisted.
Republicans are not leaders but are expert liars who never have any valid source or proof to back up their words. The fact anyone would trust these corrupt immoral liars with our country and the best interests of our People is really scary.
That's some real hate in you Beverly. Good luck with that.
If CNN is lying then point out where they are lying instead of making general statements you can't back up. This isn't FOX where they have rules against telling the truth when it comes to politics. CNN is the closets thing to being u biased that I have found in US News. MSNBC leans way left. FOX News is the Republican propaganda machine that probably fires anybody that has Liberal friends.
Bev, Lincoln was a Republican.
Exactly.
Of course they know the truth Bill, they simply refuse to have anything to do with it.
good one Bill you got that right on. cnn loser squad would fit better.
Only Faux News speaks the truth!! Isn't that right Bill?
Still no response from Bill? That's a surprise.
@Thezel, and if he were around today he would be lower in the Republikan polls than Huntsman. By the way, the IRA is Republican too, what's your point?
You notice giw Ron Paul is usually accurate?
The bias of CNN/Time/Warner is only surpassed by the gas bags on MSNBC. Fox does not even pretend their Populism is news, like CNN does.
So which items do you think CNN & Truth did not match?
...I love CNN Bill. They're my best supporters, so please stop given them a tough time. Along with ABC, CBS, NBC and that brilliant rag the NY Times.